Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: Kate and her Ducks on March 01, 2015, 19:02
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Don't know why but I have never made my own lemon curd before today. Odd as I love it and we are already up to 6 eggs a day so getting overrun pretty quickly.
It has turned out brilliantly if I say so myself and so easy. Think I have definitely found the solution to the egg mountain. Just need some suggestions for the lemon curd lake now. :D
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So how do you make lemon curd then Kate?? :)
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I started making it last year with the spring glut too Kate, I'm sure it was more difficult when I made it with my mum years ago. It takes little time and my friends are happy to pay a premium for it. Pays towards feed.
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You can also make other flavours with your egg glut Kate-- I have done Blackberry & Apple, Raspberry and Lime before and they were all luscious :D
Just takes a bit of time with the stirring :nowink:
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Apricot is a favourite here as most gardens have a tree. Orange is good too.... better get some butter in :D
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I found so many different recipes with differing levels of complexity I decided to go for a pretty simple one. Just the beaten eggs, butter sugar and lemon juice and zest in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until thickened. No lumps or curdling and the taste is divine. :tongue2:
Been looking at other flavours. Rhubarb seemed good especially as ours is just coming up and will coincide with the worst of the glut. The other one that seemed interesting was raspberry as I love them although as mine are autumn cropping the girls will have slowed down a lot by then. Might have to trial with the left over frozen ones ;)
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Does it keep well?
I'm always a bit cautious using eggs, but Ben likes lemon curd and I always accumulate quite a few eggs at any one time. :unsure:
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Rhubarb curd?! :ohmy:
I'd never have thought of that - let us know how it goes
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yeah it's nice and easy to make in small amounts so I don't worry about keeping it.
I had a lush lemon meringue pie cake made for me by the youngest for my birthday- Nigella. You do a light sponge mix, add raw meringue to the tins, cook, sandwich together with lemon curd. It went in a flash on boxing day when we were all full already :D
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Rhubarb curd?! :ohmy:
I'd never have thought of that - let us know how it goes
And if you add some vanilla extract you get rhubarb and custard curd. ;)
DBG it will keep up to 4 weeks in the fridge but if you are concerned you can freeze it.
Gooseberry and elderflower curd is good or lime and passion fruit.
Loads of things to do with it. Use it to ripple through Lemon or vanilla ice-cream, mix a couple of tablespoons with some mascarpone cheese and use to fill cakes, or scones or shortbread tarts and top with strawberries.
Mix in with a cheesecake mix or pipe over a lemon cheesecake.
I make mine in a microwave, take about 8 minutes for a large bowlful.
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I was wondering what to do with the frozen rhubarb. Thanks for the idea Mrs Bee :D
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I did gooseberry but it wasent sharp enough, luckily only have 3 jars i might chuck it in a pan and add some lemon or lime .
chrissie b
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Homemade lemon curd is wonderful Emma. If you taste it, you will NEVER buy from a supermarket again!
Keeping it in the fridge it is supposed to be eaten within a month, but when I made quite a lot, one jar did last a couple of weeks longer than that, but our friends in the village love it, so I gave them a couple of jars!
My friend Jacqui makes orange curd, but I haven't tasted any of the other flavours!
Sorry Mrs Bee, just noticed you already said about the 4 weeks.
Didn't know you can freeze it though, doesn't it separate?
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Sorry Mrs Bee, just noticed you already said about the 4 weeks.
Didn't know you can freeze it though, doesn't it separate?
No worries Grannie, it doesn't worry me. :lol: :lol:
I only discovered you could freeze it very recently. I had a glut of eggs and fancied making curd but didn't want to eat lots of it straightaway. It just came into my head that I could freeze it so I gurgled it and you can.
So I did. And it works fine. That way I can freeze it in small pots and take out what ever we need. I have several cake recipes that need lemon curd and having it ready in the freezer makes it more likely that I will do the cakes. :D
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Sorry Mrs Bee, just noticed you already said about the 4 weeks.
Didn't know you can freeze it though, doesn't it separate?
No worries Grannie, it doesn't worry me. :lol: :lol:
I only discovered you could freeze it very recently. I had a glut of eggs and fancied making curd but didn't want to eat lots of it straightaway. It just came into my head that I could freeze it so I gurgled it and you can.
So I did. And it works fine. That way I can freeze it in small pots and take out what ever we need. I have several cake recipes that need lemon curd and having it ready in the freezer makes it more likely that I will do the cakes. :D
Ooooh that is WONDERFUL! Wish I'd known that last week when we were given some eggs as well as the few from our old girls. Mind you, I wanted to use up some potatoes that we were given, but were going a bit soft, so I used the eggs making some gnocchi, but they didn't come out very well, they are too heavy, but are quite nice, fried in a little frylight, like little potato cakes!
I could have used the eggs for lemon curd, but next time will try freezing it in small pots like you said!
Thank you! :D :D
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For Emma!
http://www.allotment-garden.org/food/fruit-curds.php
http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/?s=lemon+curd
Lots of ideas here, but need to scroll down a bit for lemon curd recipe!
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You are most welcome Grannie.
I think you are brave making gnocchi. I have had several goes and mine all turn out heavy. :(
So I have given up on those for the moment.
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You are most welcome Grannie.
I think you are brave making gnocchi. I have had several goes and mine all turn out heavy. :(
So I have given up on those for the moment.
LOL, mine are a bit like tiny bricks too, but not bad fried in frylight! LOL
The reason I decided to make them, was that all these potatoes our friend Tony got for us were going a bit soft, and I hate waste, plus the other day, he bought another carrier bag full!
We don't eat many potatoes now, with trying to lose weight, so I weighed out 10lbs of them! YES, 10lbs! lol which was perhaps not a good idea it being my first time! :lol: :lol:
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10lbs of potato gnocchi! Oo err that is a lot. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Potato cakes freeze well as do potato scones. Or potato waffles or oven chips. Not that those will help you with the weight lose though.
Still, at least if the lemon curd is in the freezer that is one temptation out of the way. :D
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For Emma!
http://www.allotment-garden.org/food/fruit-curds.php
http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/?s=lemon+curd
Lots of ideas here, but need to scroll down a bit for lemon curd recipe!
Thankyou!
But I'm waaaay to paranoid about eggs to make it I think! :unsure: :unsure: :unsure:
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You can get pasteurised eggs if you are that worried about the eggs.
I have a really easy microwave recipe for lemon curd if you would like it. It gets hotter than making it over simmering water. Then if you cool and freeze it straight away it should calms your fears.
It really is so much more delicious than the commercial stuff. It is buttery and sharp and gorgeous.
I can give you my recipe for lemon curd scones to go with the lemon curd too. ;)
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You are most welcome Grannie.
I think you are brave making gnocchi. I have had several goes and mine all turn out heavy. :(
So I have given up on those for the moment.
Ricotta gnocchi are lovely - the lighter cousins of the spud-based ones. This recipe's pretty good: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/461631/spinach-and-ricotta-gnocchi (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/461631/spinach-and-ricotta-gnocchi)
And I second the h/m curd being better than even the most lavish of commercial ones. It's fabulous stuff.
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For Emma!
http://www.allotment-garden.org/food/fruit-curds.php
http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/?s=lemon+curd
Lots of ideas here, but need to scroll down a bit for lemon curd recipe!
Thankyou!
But I'm waaaay to paranoid about eggs to make it I think! :unsure: :unsure: :unsure:
I do know how you feel about it Emma, but if it is frozen in small batches....... and when I give some to Hazel in the village, she is nearly 81, keeps the curd in the pantry and is still alive and kicking (apart from the leg that doesn't work! LOL)
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You are most welcome Grannie.
I think you are brave making gnocchi. I have had several goes and mine all turn out heavy. :(
So I have given up on those for the moment.
Ricotta gnocchi are lovely - the lighter cousins of the spud-based ones. This recipe's pretty good: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/461631/spinach-and-ricotta-gnocchi (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/461631/spinach-and-ricotta-gnocchi)
And I second the h/m curd being better than even the most lavish of commercial ones. It's fabulous stuff.
Thanks for that link. I have printed it out and put it in my 'to try folder'. I have got some ricotta in the fridge but that is earmarked for some rum and raisin cheesecakes. ::)
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For Emma!
http://www.allotment-garden.org/food/fruit-curds.php
http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/?s=lemon+curd
Lots of ideas here, but need to scroll down a bit for lemon curd recipe!
Thankyou!
But I'm waaaay to paranoid about eggs to make it I think! :unsure: :unsure: :unsure:
I do know how you feel about it Emma, but if it is frozen in small batches....... and when I give some to Hazel in the village, she is nearly 81, keeps the curd in the pantry and is still alive and kicking (apart from the leg that doesn't work! LOL)
It's total paranoia I know!! :D :unsure:
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But....it's cooking he eggs that makes the curd thicken so they should be safe as long as you use in small batches from the freezer and all the pots are sterilised. It's such a treat. I'm not sure why it has to be kept in the fridge anyway, the acid and sugar should be enough to keep it for a while.
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Could you hot bath bottle it? That's what the commercial producers do don't they?
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Could you hot bath bottle it? That's what the commercial producers do don't they?
The commercial producers use pasteurised eggs as well.
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Yes of course I hadn't thought of that
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Yes of course I hadn't thought of that
I only know because of a conversation I had with one of the managers at the cash and carry I use.
I was quizzing him on the cream cheese and we got talking about preserving and that I don't sell curds because of the eggs and my not wanting to fall foul of elf and safety.
He pointed me in the direction of their pasteurised eggs. He told me about the commercial lemon curd using them.
Still not making them to sell though.
I did see someone selling them when I picked up Christmas turkeys. There was a blackcurrant and mint one which was very tasty. But at £5 a small pot, I decided to make my own. :lol:
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Am I being really silly - what's the problem with the eggs? They are heated/cooked aren't they? I use raw eggs for making mayonnaise as well and never given it any thought...
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Am I being really silly - what's the problem with the eggs? They are heated/cooked aren't they? I use raw eggs for making mayonnaise as well and never given it any thought...
Of course you aren't being silly.
I think Emma's problem is the thought that eggs that are semi cooked may harbour salmonella.
I use raw eggs for mayonnaise and some kinds of ice creams but I do give it a thought especially now my DIL is pregnant.
Actually, thinking about it I always was careful about the raw eggs and always ate a large dollop of what ever I was preparing and if I was OK the next day I could be pretty certain I wasn't going to poison anyone. :lol:
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Ah I didn't think about salmonella.... Not that it will stop me I have to say. Never made a fruit curd before but think I will definitely give one a go in the next few weeks
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Homemade lemon curd is wonderful Emma. If you taste it, you will NEVER buy from a supermarket again!
The reverse is also true ...... my wife wouldn't buy lemon curd from a supermarket as it was a product that she simply didn't like, but after tasting my home made curd (used as a cheesecake topping) she now realises that home made lemon curd is wonderful.
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Am I being really silly - what's the problem with the eggs? They are heated/cooked aren't they? I use raw eggs for making mayonnaise as well and never given it any thought...
Of course you aren't being silly.
I think Emma's problem is the thought that eggs that are semi cooked may harbour salmonella.
Emma is terrified of throwing up and therefore won't take any risks on food that might cause that too happen ::) :D
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Awww, what a shame. My sister used to be like that, but she grew out of it (mostly) in her forties. She will try anything now, a real foodie.
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Any egg with a lion mark is from a flock that has been vaccinated against salmonella if that helps at all. ;)
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Awww, what a shame. My sister used to be like that, but she grew out of it (mostly) in her forties. She will try anything now, a real foodie.
I'm a proper foodie - I'm worse if I know what's in something/how something is made.
The paranoia kicks in then ::)
Any egg with a lion mark is from a flock that has been vaccinated against salmonella if that helps at all. ;)
Well our eggs don't have lion marks, but I know our hens were vaccinated - it's still the partially cooked business.
Runny egg yolks upset me tummy :(
I can eat hard boiled, fully scrambled or an omelette no problems :)
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Nevermind, I guess a life without homemade lemon curd is still probably worth living, just. ;) :D
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Well the lemon curd gets hot enough to cook the eggs. ;) Especially if done In the microwave.
And it can be made into one of these....... a ginger and lemon curd cheesecake.
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Ooh that looks yummy :)
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Can I have the microwave recipe... :wub:
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:lol: :lol: :lol:
Of course.
Here it is.... The most important thing to remember when you microwave the curd is to whisk the mixture every minute or you will get sweet scrambled eggs.
Makes about 3-4 1lb jars. So you can either freeze or half the recipe.
250g unsalted butter
500g granulated sugar
350ml lemon juice about 6-7 large lemons
grated rind of 6-7 large lemons
6 egg beaten and sieved.
Butter, sugar, lemon juice and zest in a bowl. Cook on high for 3-5 mins STIRRING EVERY MINUTE until butter is completely melted and sugar completely dissolved.
Cool for 2-3 minutes so it is not boiling hot then whisk in the beaten eggs gradually.
Cook uncovered on high for about 5-8 minutes, CHECKING AND WHISKING EVERY MINUTE.
You have finished the curd when the mixture is the thickness and constituency of lightly beaten double cream.
It will also thicken on cooling.
Now either pour into warmed, sterilised jars, tap the bottom of the jars on the work surface to level the contents. leave until completely cold before covering.
Or put into Tupperware style pots that have been sterilised in the dish washer and either refrigerate or freeze.
I leave one pot in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. ;) :)
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I do mine in the microwave its so much quicker.
chrissie b